Rebecca and the Angels - Brian John

This is a story about the involvement of one strong woman and her family in the most turbulent episode in the history of rural Wales –the Rebecca Riots. In part, it is a tale about the heroine’s growing political awareness and about her concern for justice. But there is mystery and intrigue in abundance as she tries to cope with personal tragedy, supernatural events and finally betrayal. There is humour too, for the heroine is as easily moved to laughter as she is to tears.

Martha Morgan, the Mistress of Plas Ingli, has a premonition of grave danger to come. As the effects of poverty and starvation afflict the neighbourhood the local men use the “Ceffyl Pren” to bring rough justice to their enemies. Martha tries to influence the corrupt Turnpike Trusts, who are compounding the miseries of the poor by building new and illegal toll gates and rigorously collecting tolls.

In 1839 the destruction of the tollgate at Efailwen triggers off a phase of rioting which spreads across West Wales. The riots are always led by somebody called “Rebecca”, and the rioters are always referred to as “her daughters.” For a time there is guerrilla warfare with the police and the army out-manoevred by men who have massive public support and who know every inch of the countryside.

Martha is never far from the action; and as the riots spread she and her family and servants are sucked into a murky world of intrigue and betrayal inhabited not only by the local magistrates and their henchmen and spies but also by solicitor Hugh Williams, Times reporter Tom Foster, army officers and noblemen. With considerable heroism on the part of her nearest and dearest, and with not a little luck, Martha manages to keep out of trouble. But then she gets too close to the action. As the riots build to a climax, she decides on a final foolhardy gesture, and things start to go badly wrong…..